Monday, June 2, 2014

Old-Fashioned Slush

When I was a kid we spent 6 weeks every summer living with my grandparents.  I loved when we got to finally visit them.  Summertime brought on all sorts of traditions, like our annual trip to Lagoon, and our
Independence Day fireworks show in the backyard, riding on the combine and tractor, earning pennies by pulling out sticker weeds, sneaking fresh raspberries off of the bushes (even though Grandma asked us not to touch them), climbing trees, playing in the ditch...honestly I could go on for days. 

This week, as the weather here is getting hotter I was searching through my recipes for summer ideas and I ran across our family recipe for slush.  The most wonderful memories of summer came flooding in.  My grandma was a saver.  By that I mean she saved everything and usually re-used it.  I remember her washing plastic sandwich bags with her dishes and then laying them out to dry.  Weird?  Maybe.  Thrifty?  Definitely.  She also saved every container.  I mean everything from the pickle jar to the plastic bucket that the ice-cream came in.

This was what came to my mind when I found the slush recipe.  I remember at almost every family event we had 2 things.  #1 homemade root beer, #2 homemade slush.  On a hot summer day when everyone was done eating my grandma would pull out the re-used ice cream bucket, which would be filled with frozen solid slush.  She would lovingly fill our little plastic cups with slush and then we would top them off with sprite or 7-up.  Then I would take my treat and head out to the swing.  I could multi-task back then.  I could swing and eat at the same time.  Some of the best memories I have involve food.  I hope you are all making memories as well.

 Old-Fashioned Slush
1 1/2 c water
1/2 c sugar
1 banana
1 1/2 c pineapple juice
1/2 c frozen orange juice concentrate
1 TBSP lemon juice

Add sugar to the water, stir, then let sit for a few minutes, then stir again till sugar dissolves.  (this only takes a few minutes).  In a blender combine banana, pineapple juice, and orange juice concentrate.  Cover, blend till smooth.  Add sugar/water mixture and lemon juice, blend for a minute.  Transfer to 9x13 baking pan.  Freeze for 4-24 hours. 

To serve, let mixture stand at room temperature for 15 minutes.  To form slush, scrape a large spoon across frozen mixture, spoon mixture into a glass, then pour sprite or 7-up over it.  Enjoy!!
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4 comments:

  1. This is so yummy. I remember this! My mom had a friend at church that used to make this in this gigantic Tupperware container! pinning this girls:) Thanks for sharing. Memories are a good thing and I would love to make this for my 3 little kiddos now while they are little so they remember it years from now. found at the lou lou girls linky. Have a great week:)

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  2. Thanks so much Rachel. I hope your kids love it.

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  3. Perfect for summer! Love it! Pinned! Please join us tonight at 7 pm and party with us. We feel honored when you stop by! http://loulougirls.blogspot.com
    Happy Monday! Lou Lou Girls

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  4. Looks delicious! Thanks for sharing on the Creative Exchange!

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